The 100 Year Courtship
by Adria626
Summary: There are times when the best of friendships are not always friendly, the most amorous of love stories do not start always start with love, and the time in between does not always stop the hearts of those who deserve happiness. Timing is everything in the 100 year courtship of Helen Magnus and James Watson.
1. Chapter 1

**The 100 Year Courtship **

_A.N. I have been away from writing fan fiction for years now. Now, though, I am back. Throughout the years my writing style has changed, for the better…Oh how I'd like to think and hope. _

_This idea of James and Helen, well it has been in my head for quite some time. According to canon and what we saw in the Normandy episode, Helen and James were together. However there have only been vague hints as to how long after or before._

_The title of this does not mean it took James 100 years to court Helen, no… however it did take him some time for her to come round. John, as we all know, ruined many things and many people. None more I think than his lover and fiance Helen Magnus and best friend James Watson._

_The chapters will be from each of their point of view...for now…_

_Ah…and if anyone has any ideas or prompts for how they would like to see their courtship…and then relationship going, please PM me or place any ideas in a review. _

_Oh, even though I have not been writing fan fiction, I have been reading. Always reading. Sanctuary fan fiction is my favorite. Please, those who write, never stop writing. You are all amazing and continually make my days and nights more entertaining. Thank you. _

_Adria… _

**Chapter 1**

**A Bitter, Stubborn Beginning**

Timing is everything in their 100 year courtship.

John has disappeared, (off the face of the earth. Ha! He could only wish); leaving Helen to pick up the pieces of her heart and play a game of pretend she does not stand a chance of winning.

James does not enjoy the thoughts cascading through his mind whenever he catches a glimpse of the terrifyingly real fear in her eyes. (He wishes now more than ever it weren't true, can see it all so clearly now, John may as well have shot her himself.)

There is one minute iota of his brain that feels she would have been better off.

She is good, and because of her somewhat shocking naivete, he does not divulge to her his ideas, therefore the words continue to scream, clawing, scratching to escape the confines of his pounding head.

The only logical voice still making any sense, whispers- 'You love her you daft man, now make her yours before Tesla decides he loves her more than his inventions.'

His intentions are pure, and as such he cannot bring himself to allow himself to love a woman, any woman, let alone her, when she obviously is still in love with John.

Life is many things, and fair is not one of them.

The next time, and he's sure there will be one, when he runs into his former best friend, he'll be sure to show him just how much he ruined-Helen for other men, he for never having the capability to trust, Tesla for running to America, and Nigel for never coming round.

A punch in the face just couldn't ever be enough. Not for her, for her honor, the tears she can't quite hide, and definitely not for his peace of mind.

They carry on. He with his drawn out simplistic cases from Scotland Yard, and she with her Sanctuary.

Yet anyone with eyes can see the legacy of helping those who are unable to help themselves is wearing her thin. So he does what any sensible Victorian man in love wouldn't dream of doing.

He offers to move in.

To his suggestion she barely bats an eye, only raises an eyebrow. He understands to an extent why she would not put up a fight, but then as if a wave of freezing water has hit his face, he sees clearly as she cannot hold his gaze, she is not the same woman who would stomp her foot and tell him a firm 'no'. Where once a strong woman stood, a weary, tired, fed up woman has taken her place.

"You do realize there will be talk. I will not marry you if this is your way of asking. Appeasing people's opinion is not on any of my agendas."

Taken aback, he adamantly shakes his head.

"Good." She walks away, the direction in which he assumes is the basement.

While he would have expected a hug or at least a thank you, he chooses not to hold her foul moodiness against her.

He decides he will talk over the details later when she is well rested and has a glass of merlot in her hand.

The tactic works wonders when used by Tesla and if he happens upon her in a slightly better mood, it could work for him as well.

Time passes.

He moves in.

Enough, he thinks, it has been ten years, five since he's shared her castle.

In seeing a Helen with darker hair, he is sure she never will not love him, a murderer, not anymore.

James Watson has never been more wrong.

The anger shining in the much older Helen's eyes does nothing to sway James from believing or disbelieving the reasons why she would still choose a monster over him.

After the time traveling Helen is sent safely away to enjoy-or not enjoy-her very long, albeit deserved vacation he bravely opens up the subject of one John Druitt to the still very blonde Helen.

She does not want to hear.

She does not want to reason.

"We are still married," she says, and "He can still be saved."

"Excuses Helen! You cannot keep making them for John forever."

"Watch me James. You cannot tell me what to do."

"Someone has to woman, you have not seen sense in over a decade. When will you realize he is no longer the John we know and you love?"

"Never. Now leave me be James. I'm sure you have something better to do than to pester me."

This conversation occurs, much the same at least once a year for the next ten years.

Still he stays, though after 20 years, he's running out of reasons why he still should.


	2. A Bitter Stubborn Beginning: Remix

**The 100 Year Courtship **

A.N._ I totally forgot the disclaimer…_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I own nothing, well that's not true, I just don't own Sanctuary. _

A.N._ This is slightly A.U. mainly because I can't concentrate long enough to seriously check all the facts of the canon of Sanctuary. I'm pretty sure Helen and John were not married. As for Helen's foul mood, well her attitude will change as soon as she realizes James means well. And I mean really means well, and means her no harm. Oh and thanks so much to Facetious Fish for the review! _

**Chapter 2**

**A Bitter Stubborn Beginning: Remix**

Timing is everything in their 100 year courtship.

John has disappeared, (off the face of the earth. Ha! She could only wish); leaving Helen to pick up the pieces of her heart and play a game of pretend she does not stand a chance of winning.

Helen does not enjoy the thoughts cascading through her mind whenever she sees James catching a glimpse of the terrifyingly real fear in her eyes. (She wishes now more than ever it weren't true, can see it all so clearly now, John may as well have shot her himself.)

There is one minute iota of her brain that feels she would have been better off.

James is so good to her, and because of her somewhat shocking naiveté, she does not divulge to him her ideas. Therefore the words continue to scream; clawing, scratching to escape the confines of her always pounding head.

The only logical voice still making any sense, whispers- 'you love him you daft woman, now make him yours before Tesla decides he loves you more than his inventions.'

His intentions are pure, and as such she cannot bring herself to allow herself to love a man, any man, let alone James, when her heart is obviously is still in love with John.

Life is many things, and fair is not one of them.

The next time, and he's sure there will be one, when she runs into her murderous husband, she'll be sure to show him just how much he ruined-her for other men, James for never having the capability to trust, Tesla for running to America, and Nigel for never coming round.

A punch in the face just couldn't ever be enough. Not for her, for her honor, the tears she can't quite hide, and definitely not for her peace of mind.

They carry on. James with his drawn out simplistic cases from Scotland Yard, and she with her Sanctuary.

Yet anyone with eyes can see the legacy of helping those who are unable to help themselves is wearing her thin. So James does what any sensible Victorian man in love wouldn't dream of doing.

He offers to move in.

To his suggestion she barely bats an eye, only raises an eyebrow. She knows he must understand to an extent why she would not put up a fight, but then as if a wave of freezing water has hit her face, she sees clearly as she cannot hold his gaze, she is not the same woman who would stomp her foot and tell him a firm 'no'. Where once a strong woman stood, a weary, tired, fed up woman has taken her place.

"You do realize there will be talk. I will not marry you if this is your way of asking. Appeasing people's opinion is not on any of my agendas."

Taken aback, he adamantly shakes his head.

"Good." She walks away, the direction in which he'll assume is the basement.

While she realizes he expected a hug or at least a thank you, she knows he will not chose not to hold her foul moodiness against her.

She decides she will talk over the details later when she is well rested and has a glass of merlot in her hand.

The tactic works wonders when used by Tesla and if he happens upon her in a slightly better mood, it could work for him as well.

Time passes.

He moves in.

Enough, she thinks, it has been ten years, five since he's shared her castle.

After Spring Heeled Jack is sent safely away to enjoy-or not enjoy-his very long, albeit deserved captivity James very bravely opens up the subject of one John Druitt.

She does not want to hear.

She does not want to reason.

"We are still married," she says, and "He can still be saved."

"Excuses Helen! You cannot keep making them for John forever."

"Watch me James. You cannot tell me what to do."

"Someone has to woman, you have not seen sense in over a decade. When will you realize he is no longer the John we know and you love?"

"Never. Now leave me be James. I'm sure you have something better to do than to pester me."

This conversation occurs, much the same at least once a year for the next ten years.

Still he stays, though after 20 years, she knows he's running out of reasons why he still should.

A.N. _The next few chapters will be different than the first two. More detailed and explanations within explanations as to why the Helen and James are acting the way they are. As always read and review! _

Adria


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